The Seven Lives Still Remaining of Chloe King: Back on her feet
by EvonneGreen
Summary: Chloe has quite a large pair of shoes to fill, and she has yet to get back on her feet from what she has experienced. With the help of her only remaining protector, Alek, she is faced by a big dilemma: where to find the strength to keep going after all she has lost? Set after the series finale, eventually Chloe/Alek.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone,**

**So, here I am, getting back to TNLOCK - this is a fic that I started right after the finale, but have never published. I'm a bit stuck with my other drabble - if you are in the mood for a little Merlin, go check out my other story, _The Unbearable Difficulty of Loving_, which is getting close to its end... Back to my point - I'm stuck with that one, and well, you know how it works; I got inspired to continue this one. Read and review, so I know if I should keep publishing more chapters!**

**This is set right after the season finale, and is my interpretation of what would have happened afterwards. Again, R&R, it's super important! Otherwise, enjoy :).**

**I do not own the story nor the main characters. Only some additional characters emerge from my crazy imagination.**

**ooo**

She was running, aimlessly. Not the kind of running one performs when trying to escape or hide from someone, but the kind to leave the whole world behind. Of course, that was not physically possible, but as long as Chloe kept running, she could pretend to herself it was. From rooftop to rooftop she ran, faster than possible for humans, leaving obstacles behind her with swift, agile movements.

But she couldn't continue forever. Even with an abnormally good stamina she got exhausted of the speed, and had to stop. It took a moment for the world and the view around her to settle down. She was standing on a rooftop, with three bulletholes through her abdomen, a shirt soaked in her own blood, breathing hard. Feeling dizzy, she finally sat down. _This must be a dream._

She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, but in fact was only an hour or two. She was way outside the centre of San Francisco, and even though it was way after midnight, the halo from the big city lights was bright enough to help her see around. But she wasn't really seeing, really looking at anything. Her gaze wandered, but her eyes were empty. _What have I done?_ At that moment she didn't care that her mom must have been worried to death. She didn't care that Alek and Jasmine and Valentina were probably going crazy, having no sign of her. She didn't care that she'd left Amy and Paul to deal with the arriving ambulance and police, herself running away from the situation. _I am a monster._

But she couldn't continue forever. At some point her gaze gained a purpose again. Finally, she started to feel her own tiredness. And she started to think coherently. _I need to get out of here._ She rose to her feet, learning fast that they weren't strong enough to keep her up. Falling down to her knees she finally cried. Because of sadness, because of frustration. She wept because of Brian, because of her own stupidness. She cried because of Alek, and how she'd hurt him too. _Why do everyone around me get hurt?_ And then her phone rang.

The screen read Amy. For a moment Chloe felt like tossing the damn thing over the edge of the roof, but she contolled herself, and after a few beeps she finally picked up. It was Amy to speak first.

"Chloe? Are you there?"

Chloe sighed. "Yeah."

There was a pause. "I talked to your mom." Another pause. "She is under the impression your spending the night at my place."

"Thank you." Her answer was barely a whisper.

"You need to tell someone where you are."

"Why? Who cares? I'll end up hurting everyone anyway."

"Chloe."

Silence.

Amy went on. "At least call Valentina. Or do you want me to?"

"I don't even know where I am, to be honest."

"I bet Alek could track down your phone if you just c_alled_ him."

"Not gonna happen."

"At least turn up at my place in the morning. Or home, whatever, just… Don't disappear. It won't solve anything."

Chloe ignored her. "Brian?"

Amy didn't say anything.

"Amy?"

"He's.. gone, Chloe."

"I'll call you when I get home." And with that she ended the phone call. She was putting the phone back into her pocket, when her inhuman hearing caught on something. It was clearly a fight, considering the sound of cracking and punching, not even mentioning the shouting. She almost let it go by, why would she care of some fight, when she picked out a growl. _Humans don't growl._ And the click of someone loading a shotgun. And a oh-so familiar voice.

"Don't make me do this, Alek."

A whimper escaped Chloe's lips. _Not him too!_ Quickly determining the direction of the voices sh egot up, her legs not feeling any better than before, but somehow she managed to stay up. Tears were running down her cheeks, as she half ran, half staggered towards the source of the voices.

**ooo**

Alek had backed up towards the impenetrable and high back waal of the alley. He was breathing heavily, his face bruised and his lip and temple bleeding violently. His hands, also gashed and bruised, were in fists, and his whole body was shaking. Behind the gun, Zane didn't look any better, if not even worse; he was holding his arm, which looked doslocated, against his ribs, and he was limping towards Alek.

"Don't make me do this, Alek."

"I can't let you near Chloe, " he spat back, trying to steady his breathing and clearly thinking of a way to escape.

"I kind of get the feeling it's too late for that, brother. Or is she currently under your protection?"

"I'll just have to kill you first."

Zane rolled the gun around his wrist, showing off. "How did you let her grow to you so badly? Personal feelings aside, you would probably be with her at the moment, if not for your crooked relationship. What is she to you, tell me? I'm very curious."

"Shut the fuck up."

Stepping closer to Alek, Zane smirked. "Maybe I should just keep you alive until you see her lose every last of her unprecious lives. Right in front of you."

Alek didn't reply, just growled again. At that moment Chloe appeared, somewhat staggering, behind Zane. She froze immediately, and a small, yet loud enough for the two Mai present to hear, shriek escaped her lips. Zane turned sideways, the gun still pointing at Alek.

Alek's eyes, went from angry to horrified. He took in Chloe's appearance – red eyes, her mascara all over her cheeks. Blue t-shirt soaked in blood, and a limping posture. He took a step forward, but Zane's attention was back on Alek.

"Chloe – get out of here!" Alek hissed, but Zane laughed.

"One move, Uniter, and the boy is dead."

Chloe's eyes were locked with Alek's, his horror mirrored in her gaze. "Save yourself. Please," was all Alek could get out of his lips.

"Let him go, Zane! I'm the one you want!"

Zane gave her a crooked, evil smile. "In that you are correct, sweetheart. Let's see.. Shall we make a deal?"

Chloe, despite her tiredness, had positioned herself in somewhat her fighting stance. "I said let him go," she growled.

"In front of me, on your knees, and Alek goes free."

She started to take hesitant steps towards Zane, but Alek's shout cut her off.

"Don't you dare, Chloe!"

"I cannot lose you too tonight!" She shouted back.

Alek froze, his eyes now confused. Even Zane's expression was confused.

"H-how do you know?"

"Know what? He died in my freaking arms!"

It was Zane's turn to question her. "He?"

But Alek knew already. He knew her too well – all those countless nights he'd spent watching over her, those countless afternoons he'd been on her roof, just watching her, trying to understand her. There was only one person who could get her this upset.

"You kissed him."

"He kissed me while I was dead! Or well, recovering from the loss of another life more precisely."

Zane's expression turned into a smile, while Alek's voice cracked a little. "You died?"

"See, brother? You leave her for a moment because of a stupid grudge against me, and she has already lost another life! Way to go, bro."

Alek pulled his gaze from Chloe back to Zane. "Do not. Call. Me. That." He stepped towards Zane, who turned fully towards him again, and saw Chloe start to creep towards Zane.

"Or what? You'll, let's see… kill me?" Zane laughed, throwing his head back.

It was all that Chloe needed to leap to cling on Zane's back. He fired the gun, but Alek had already moved out of the way. With her leg, Chloe kicked the gun out of Zane's reach, and had him in a headlock in an instant.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." She hissed into his ear, as Alek made his way up to them, now standing right in fron of Zane.

Zane gathered himself quickly. "Oh why, sweetheart, are you so careless with your lives?" And in a swift moment he pulled out a knife from his thigh pocket, and stabbed towards Chloe.

She fell off his back, the knife standing up from her thigh. But Alek didn't hesitate. His kick landed straight in the middle of Zane's chest, sending him flying over the whimpering Chloe. Suddenly, a car appeared on the street, and Zane used the moment it took for Alek to run after him to get up and in the car. In a second the car was out, and Alek and Chloe were left alone in the now dead quiet alley.

Turning around, Alek kicked an empty rubbish bin, sending it flying and crashing against the wall at the dead end of the alley. Then he hurried to Chloe, squating down to examine her injury.

"Chloe? Chloe, do you hear me?"

"I believe a knife in my thigh does not affect my ability to hear," she groaned, trying to get up. She failed, however, sending her body collapsing back against the concrete, but Alek was fast enough to grab her head before it smashed against the hard surface. He placed her head on his lap, pulling out her phone from her pocket.

"What are y-"

"He managed to destroy mine." He dialed a number from memory, and placed the phone against his ear.

"What's the situation? I've got her, but she's injured. I'll run, that'll be faster. Get everything ready."

"Who was that?" Chloe asked, confused.

Alek ignored her, and lifted her on his arms. Without delay he started running, back towards the centre. But Chloe wasn't satisfied.

"Alek Petrov!"

He glanced down at her. "Matt, one of the hunters."

"Where the hell do you think you're taking me?"

A long silence. Chloe's breathing became hitched and slower, and she growled of frustration, but the sound leaving her lips was a pathetic whimper. She raised her hand to punch him in the arm, but she no longer controlled her tired muscles, and she missed by a fair 10 centimetres.

"Hold on, Chloe. We're going back to the apartment."

With that, she lost her consciousness, and Alek puffed, increasing his already inhuman speed. All his muscles were crying for him to stop, his head was throbbing of pain, and he could taste blood in his mouth, but the only thing he could think of was _not her, I cannot bear more _on_ one night._

**ooo**

Chloe woke up to the loud sound of a door slamming shut. She was still on Alek's arms, and heard low murmurs all around her. Quickly Alek's sticky but warm arms were replaced by cooler ones, and before she could identify this person she was set on what looked and felt like a hospital bed. A middle-aged woman, wearing a white doctor's jacket, was flashing a light to her eyes, and she squinted of the brightness.

"She's conscious," the woman whispered over her shoulder, and Chloe caught a familiar sigh, that belonged to no other but Alek. The woman turned back to her, and Chloe's eyes took a while to adjust.

"Can you hear me, Chloe? Chloe?"

Chloe tried to reply, but the only sound leaving her mouth was a groan. The doctor turned her head slightly, raising her voice. "We need some morphine here!" A cart was rushed to her side, and Chloe felt someone puncturing the inner skin of her elbow. The doctor was back at her sight then, talking in a reassuring voice. "Your pain will ease up in a moment. I need you to stay still while I examine you and pull the knife out, ok?"

"Alek," was all Chloe got out of her mouth. Alek's head popped up, from the other side of the room. He had been tended by a nurse, but he rushed up and to Chloe's side, touching her shoulder lightly. "I'm right here, Chloe." Someone brought a chair for him, and he sat down, entwining his fingers with hers. The nurse continued to tend his face, but he kept his grip on Chloe's hand. She sighed of relief, closing her eyes. She was still conscious, but the voices of the doctor and the nurses were beginning to get very distant.

"She has three bulletholes on her stomach, I'm guessing the bullets are still in there. We need to open her up."

"Will she be ok? She's already lost a life tonight."

"I will make sure she survives."

This was when the anesthetics hit Chloe's system, and she lost her consciousness, slipping into anesthesia.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here you go - you guys haven't been that active on it just yet, but I'm guessing it takes some time, here is, however, the second chapter. Keep up the reviews, and tell me what you think! Even guesses of the turns of events are highly encouraged... ;)**

**This makes me sound horrible, but now that we've dealt with the whole Brian issue in this chapter, it will be time to get on with some serious events. Keep posted!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Nine Lives of Chloe King' or any of its original characters.**

**ooo**

Alek was sitting on the kitchen counter, a bottle of water in his hand. A nurse was tending to his wounds, which luckily turned out to be nothing more dangerous than cuts and heavy bruising, and thanks to the Mai healing ability were already healing fast. His eyes were fixed on the hospital bed on the other end of the room. A rhythmic sound of beeping originated from the machine that chloe was plugged into, determining her now steady heart beat. She was still unconscious, but her healing had progressed fast. Glancing at the clock on the microwave, he sighed. _04:33_.

Just when the Mai nurse finished bandaging Alek, padding his shoulder lightly, Chloe groaned lightly. She opened her eyes, and rose slowly up to balance on her elbows. Alek placed the bottle on the counter and approached her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, the question almost a whisper.

"Been better. but it's fine already. You?"

"Still breathing."

Chloe kept quiet, lifting her robe to see her stomach.

"The scars will be gone by tomorrow, according to Lucy, On your thigh aswell." Alek sat down next to Chloe's hip.

"Lucy?"

"The doctor." He paused slightly. "Chloe, I need you to tell me everything. I know it's not easy, but-"

"I'd rather not talk about it too many times. Can't we wait until Valentina makes it here? Besides, you could use this time to explain _me_ why I found you with a gun pointed on your head by _Zane_."

Alek looked at here straight in the eyes. "You don't see it, do you? It's all connected."

"See what exactly? I'm no mind reader-"

"She's not coming back, Chloe. Ever."

**ooo**

Chloe's expression was extremely confused. She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean she's not coming back? Where is she?"

"Chloe…"

"This is starting to sound _extremely_ worrying, Alek."

He placed his hand on hers, and Chloe studied his expression. It was as if he was trying to hold some emotions inside. _Is he… crying?_

"Chloe…"

Suddenly something else hit her as well. "Alek, where is Jasmine? If Zane… Oh God." She tried to sit up, but Alek pressed her chest gently down. "She's alright, isn't she? I mean… You got her safe before Zane flipped?"

Alek's other hand went to run through his hair. "They're gone, Chloe."

"G-g-gone? Where?"

"Gone as in dead."

Silence.

Chloe froze, her eyes locked with Alek's. He couldn't keep it in hima ny longer, but let the tears fall freely down his cheeks. His lower lip was quivering, but he made no sound, just stared at Chloe.

She was the first one to speak. Trying to keep herself calm for Alek's sake her question was only a whisper. "How?"

Alek swallowed multiple times before composing himself to answer. The falling of his tears never seized. "Zane. Took them out one by one, at least that's what he told me." He paused for a second. "When I came in it was too late. There was nothing I could do-" His sentence was cut out by a violent sob. Chloe felt her own tears start to fall down.

"This cannot be true. How… He beat them both? Here?"

"A poisonous dart on Valentina. Her heart was still beating when I got here, I could hear it, but Lucy said there was nothing I could've done after the dart hit her." Pause. "He stabbed Jasmine through her stomach. With that knife." He pointed towards the knife that Zane had used to hit Chloe, now in a sealed, seethrough plastic bag on the living room table.

Chloe didn't say anything for a good 15 minutes. The sat there, until their tears finally seized falling and their eyes, despite the everlasting pain on their hearts dried out.

"Is this it then?" When Alek's face resembled a question mark, she continued. "The end. Our doom. The whole race's doom. You know."

"Are you asking whether we're giving up on this fight?"

"If you want to put it so, then yes."

"Nobody is giving up. There's always hope. We're fighting. Until. The. Last. Fucking. Man. We owe that much to them."

Chloe's voice was but a whisper. "But how, Alek? How do we get back up on our feet?"

As if meaning to highlight the symbolism of Chloe's words, he got up, towering way over her bed. "We find a way. Even if it's the last thing we do."

**ooo**

Alek had asked her not to talk about Valentina and Jasmine to her mother. He'd said it was unnecessary, pointing out that the police had obviously not been informed, and he didn't want any legal problems, starting with his custody issues, him still being underaged and all. So now, a week later Chloe needed a believable explanation why exactly she was leaving the house on a sunday afternoon wearing a black dress. _I'm running late_, she cursed, grabbing her ballerinas in one hand and her purse in her other. _No choice but to improvise._

"And where do you think you're going?" Her mother was not fooled by her prentiously casual walking towards the door. "Sit. Now."

"It's… Ah, you know me mom, just going out for a _long _walk. On a sunday night. Fairly normal."

"In a black dress? Nice try."

"Well, it's quite warm outside-" She was cut off midsentence by the doorbell. Her mother's eyebrows shut up to her hairline. "Expecting someone?"

Chloe didn't reply but ran for the door. She heard her mother get up from the couch and also make her way towards the hallway as she leaned to open the door.

It was no other than Alek behind the door, wearing black jeans with black suit jacket and a white shirt, it's highest button opened to make it look casual. She noticed his windblown hair and his smileless face. However, as soon as he spotted Chloe's mom behind her, his face spread into a dashing, faked smile. To Meredith, it passed for a real one.

"Good Afternoon, Meredith."

"Hi Alek." She turned towards Chloe. "A _long_ walk outside?"

Chloe smiled sheepishly. "Well-"

"I hope there is no problem with me taking Chloe for a date tonight, is there?"

Meredith's smile widened. "Well, of course not. And this was so horrible, Chloe, that you couldn't tell me, because…?"

"Mom…"

She nudged her daughter with her side. "Off you go. Take care of her, Alek."

"Always will." He winked at Meredith, bowing just slightly, and offered Chloe his arm. She took it, and the exited the house.

"12:30, Chloe!"

Alek lead her to a shiny black Chevrolet parked in front of her house. He opened the door for her, and she coughed meaningfully. "Nice car."

"Valentina's."

**ooo**

Their drive was quiet. Chloe didn't find it awkward, but rather reassuring. The road, outside of San Francisco already, lead them straight into the forest. After half an hour or so, Alek finally stopped the car next to a few other ones, by a small clearing. Chloe intended to get out of the car, when Alek's cold hand was on hers.

"Chloe, I need you to promise me something."

"Yes?"

"Promise to not leave my side tonight."

"Ok, but why exactly?"

"If the Order for any reason found out about this and decided to attack… We would need to get you out as soon as possible."

"We're seriously even discussing such _here_?"

Alek looked frustrated. "Yes, Chloe, we are. Your safety is not only my priority now. Things have changed since past events." He got up, and opened the door for Chloe, offering her his arm. "You're lives are on my account. I will make sure nothing will _ever_ happen to you."

With a small grop of perhaps 25 other Mai of the pride they buried Valentina and Jasmine next to a few other graves. Valentina's name had been engraved in an already existing stone, and Jasmine's on a new, blanko ne right next to it. Chloe studied the stones more closer.

"Nathan? Is that her-"

"Valentina's husband. Died 5 years ago."

"Did you know him?" She asked softly, studying Alek's expression. He had, however, cried his tears, and his face was blank, almost emotionless. "No. I arrived after his death." He paused. "And another family, destroyed. Another possible descending branch of Mais blown in the air."

"They will pay, Alek."

"He will pay," was his simple response, before he leaned down to place a white rose on both graves. Then he turned away, pulling Chloe with him towards the car. She topped, however, in fron of the car. "There's something I need to do, Alek."

"This doesn't sound good."

"We ne… I need to go visit Brian's grave."

Alek looked at her for a long moment, opening his mouth a few times as if to say something. Finally, after what seemed like a mental battle, he sighed. "This is definitely not good, Chloe. You know they'll be waiting for you there."

"We won't stay long, and we can use some other means of entrance than the main gate of the graveyard. I just… Need this. Really."

"I'm going to be honest with you. I don't like, it Chloe."

She was beginning to get pissed. Seriously pissed. "Is this truly about the Order or rather about your unnamed disliking of him?" She hissed, narrowing her eyes. "I killed him, Alek."

He placed his hands on her shoulders. "You. Did. Not."

"That is how I understand this freaking fiasco, Alek. I cannot just not see the grave. I'll let you come with me."

Alek's eyes flashed. "_Let_ me come with you? You should try to remember who you're talking to. Uniter or not, I'm your protector _and _the only heir of your dead pride leader. Show some respect."

Chloe was confused. "Cool down. I… Can we just _go_?"

Alek let out a low whistle, and two bulky men, one dark-skinned and the other a striking ginger were by his side in an instant. He motioned towards the back seats. "We have some dangerous shit to deal with."

**ooo**

They landed on the graveyard from a neighbouring tree with a silent _thump._ Before Chloe could say a word, Alek took over control. "The name's Rezza. Brian Rezza. We're splitting up, just whistle if you find something." Without another word, the two hunters turned on their heels and left to separate directions. He turned to Chloe then. "Unfortunately, you're stuck with me. Let's move."

They searched for only a few minutes, until Chloe spotted the grave. Alek whistled the hunters to them, when she Kneeled down next to the stone to place a small bouquet under where his name was written. "Brian…" She touched the stone lightly with just her fingertips. "I never meant to hurt you. I'm so sorry." Tears appeared on her cheeks again, as she squatted there, motionless for a long moment.

Alek was trying to keep his expression composed. _He is the one who came in between me and her_, he muttered to himself, luckily only in his thoughts, so that Chloe couldn't catch him cursing. _I should be sad for her loss, but I'm really… not. Only because she's hurting clearly so much. _He couldn't help himself with the selfish turn his thoughts took. _If that was me, would she be crying like this. Would she have even come?_ Right then Chloe stood up, dusting her dress of the dirt. Without looking Alek in the eyes she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, and started walking past him. "Take me home, Alek. I can't do this any longer."


End file.
